When cash is on line, kids eager to study

It turns out that some Coshocton grade-schoolers are motivated by the same thing that motivates a lot of adults: cash.

It turns out that some Coshocton grade-schoolers are motivated by the same thing that motivates a lot of adults: cash.

A pay-for-performance experiment that began in 2006 promised up to $100 each to third- through sixth-graders if they passed state standardized tests.

The students significantly boosted their math scores and slightly improved in science and social studies, Coshocton Superintendent David Hire said. Reading scores didn't change.

A university researcher voluntarily tracking the scores of 1,000 or so students said he thinks he knows what happened. Students sought more help preparing for tests when they were eligible to earn cash incentives, said Eric Bettinger, associate professor of economics at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Teachers noted that when they hosted study nights devoted to helping students prepare for state exams, students were more eager to attend when money was on the line, Bettinger said.

The largest gains were seen in students who had previously earned advanced and accelerated scores in math, Bettinger said.

When donor Bob Simpson read about a similar study in Forbes magazine and suggested the district try it, some initially questioned the concept. A panel of administrators, teachers and parents weighed the pros and cons, which included a $100,000 donation from Simpson's family foundation.

"We're very pleased," Simpson said of the results. "My hope is that the school board and administration will want to continue on."

Rewarding students gives them something to strive for, whether it be a skateboard, a video game or new sneakers, said Francie Berg, principal of two of Coshocton's elementary schools, Lincoln and South Lawn.

"I can tell you that our scores are going up," she said. "More of our kids are passing."

And the experiment helps to reinforce what the state tests are intended to do: challenge all children, Berg said.

"I was very interested to see if it made a difference. I really didn't know if it would or not."

The study initially included only select third- through sixth-grade classes but was expanded this year to include seventh- and eighth-graders.

A lottery system determines which classes are chosen each fall. Students who aren't selected serve as the control group.

In the first year of the study, students who passed the tests earned $15 to $20 per test, depending on their grade and the number of tests taken. Students who scored at the advanced level received $20 to $25 each.

Now, students can earn a total of $50 for passing reading and math tests, which are two of the subjects the district is focused on to meet the state's "adequate yearly progress" goals, Hire said.

The rewards are paid in the form of Coshocton County Bucks to ensure that students, not their parents, spend the money locally.

"Kids like to have goals, and they need to learn how to set goals, so I think it's a neat concept," Hire said.